Since the dawn of time (or maybe just the widespread use of Folgers), Americans wake up with one thing on our minds: coffee.
But this steamy love affair with “Joe” isn’t anything new to Texans. Some of the earliest coffee aficionados in America were actually ranchers, farmers, and cattlemen in the Wild West, brewing up caffeinated goodness over a crackling fire.
Image Courtesy of Suburban Men
Since those early days, our coffee shop culture has come to serve up a lot more than just winning combinations of water and coffee beans. You may step into your neighborhood coffee shop for a latte, but you also encounter a vibrant sense of community. The espresso bar has become a sort of modern-day watering hole, a hotspot for socializing with neighbors, meeting fellow San Antonians, or simply cozying up with a book amidst the sound of friendly chatter and acoustic music.
So in the name of building community and enjoying your morning cup, we’re here to shine an early-morning spotlight on the Alamo City’s emerging craft coffee scene: a perky host of a group of roasters, entrepreneurs, and baristas obsessed with quality and committed to excellence.
Below, we’ve listed a wide variety of shops across the entire city...which shop is in your neighborhood?
White Elephant Coffee Company
1415 S. Presa St. #107
Image Courtesy of White Elephant Coffee Company
As the latest micro-roaster in the Southtown area, White Elephant Coffee Company welcomes “coffee nerds, novices, and everyone in between.” Located in Downtown San Antonio’s King William neighborhood, the interior’s eye-catching blend of industrial and cozy aesthetics perfectly match the historical vibe of King William and the trendy grunge of downtown.
Residents of Urban San Antonio, King William, Lavaca, Roosevelt Park, and Lone Star can claim White Elephant as their neighborhood shop.
Revolucion Coffee + Juice
7959 Broadway # 507 (Alamo Heights)
711 S. St. Mary's St (Southtown)
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Image Courtesy of Revolucion Coffee + Juice
With two San Antonio locations (and a delectably unique Honey Lavender Latte), Revolucion Coffee + Juice is a must for residents of Urban Downtown and Alamo Heights! Besides coffee, Revolucion offers cold-pressed juice, homemade nut milks, and healthy food options. This little shop is also the only 100% vegetarian coffee shop in the city, with plenty of vegan options as well!
Residents of King William, Lavaca, Roosevelt Park, Lone Star, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park, Tobin Hill, and Shearer Hills can claim Revolucion as their neighborhood shop!
The Loft Coffee House
4400 US-281, Spring Branch, TX
If you’re a resident of the Hill Country, you are still privy to San Antonio’s coffee scene! The Loft Coffee House serves fresh coffee, homemade pastries, and a full lunch menu. As a non-profit ministry of Riverside Community Church, The Loft aims to give back both locally and internationally to other charitable organizations that breathe life into others.
Residents of Johnson Ranch, River Crossing, Cypress Springs, Kinder Ranch, and Vintage Oaks can call The Loft Coffee House their neighborhood shop.
Halcyon Coffee Bar
1414 S Alamo St.
Striking a unique balance between a coffee shop and nightlife hotspot, Halcyon Coffee Bar is a haven for both early birds and night owls in the Southtown area. Offering an array of specialty coffee, cocktails, beer, wine, and appetizers (including tableside s’mores), Halcyon is open seven days a week! Tip: Coffee-lovers, try the VooDoo Lady: a potent mix of Kahlua, Bacardi and vanilla chai.
Residents of the Downtown San Antonio area can claim Halcyon as their neighborhood coffee shop, including Urban San Antonio, King William, Lavaca, Southtown, Roosevelt Park, and Lone Star.
Ethos Coffee Cafe
9439 Bandera Rd
With a loyal customer base of community members and churchgoers in West San Antonio, Ethos Coffee Cafe always boasts the newest blends of the season, as well as the old favorites.
Residents of Alamo Ranch, Helotes, Heritage Park, Northwest Crossing, and Stillwater Ranch can claim Ethos Coffee Cafe as their neighborhood coffee shop.
Rosella Coffee Company
203 E. Jones Ave. #101
Image Courtesy of Nan Palmero on Flickr
If industrial-chic is your thing, you can’t miss Rosella, a staple in Urban San Antonio’s River North area. This gorgeous shop emits a spacious, minimalistic vibe, complete with high-quality coffee, food, beer and wine. Rosella’s vision is to create space for community to grow: whether for family, friends, business associates.
Residents of Downtown San Antonio, King William, Lavaca, Southtown, Roosevelt Park, and Lone Star can claim Rosella as their neighborhood coffees shop.
Barrio Barista
3735 Culebra Rd.
Owned by a father and son team duo, Barrio Barista is a former-meat-market-turned-coffee-shop in the Central West San Antonio area that deserves its own spotlight. Located in the Deco District, it should come as no surprise that Barrio is a haven for poetry nights, healthy food, and horchata iced lattes.
Residents of Balcones Heights, Woodlawn, Monticello Park, Loma Park, and Westlawn can claim Barrio Barista as their neighborhood coffee shop.
The Fairview Coffee Bar & Grub
Image Courtesy of the Rivard Report
3428 N. St. Mary's St.
As a shop that embraces the “tiny shop movement,” Fairview Coffee Bar is a barista-owned coffee bar and nano-roastery that seeks to build community, source locally, and serve great coffee in the Tobin Hill neighborhood. According to our sources, adventurous espresso addicts should try out their housemade horchata with espresso over ice!
Residents of Central San Antonio can claim Fairview as their neighborhood coffee shop, including Terrell Hills, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, and Shearer Hills.
Cibolo Coffee Haus
Suite 107, 3893 Cibolo Valley Dr, Cibolo, TX
Could you guess? Cibolo Coffee Haus is located in the heart of the charming little town of Cibolo, TX. Stop in and enjoy everything from espresso drinks to snow cones.
Residents of both Schertz and Cibolo can enjoy Cibolo Coffee Haus as their neighborhood shop.
Bakery Lorraine
306 Pearl Pkwy #110
Image Courtesy of Bakery Lorraine
As stylish as it is delicious, Bakery Lorraine is an absolute classic in the San Antonio area! With two locations (in both Central West San Antonio and the Tobin Hill neighborhood), Lorraine offers your morning cup of joe (courtesy of Merit) along with one of their famous pastries or colorful macarons.
Residents of Balcones Heights, Woodlawn, Monticello Park, Loma Park, Westlawn, Terrell Hills, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, and Shearer Hills can also claim Bakery Lorraine as their neighborhood shop.
Bird Bakery
5912 Broadway St.
Image Courtesy of San Antonio Magazine
As shamelessly cute as its name suggests, Bird Bakery is a petite bakeshop located in the Alamo Heights neighborhood. Offering incredible treats (always baked from scratch), Bird Bakery is the place to get your cupcake-and-espresso fix!
Residents of Central San Antonio (including Terrell Hills, Olmos Park, Tobin Hill, and Shearer Hills) can claim Bird Bakery as their neighborhood shop!
Aspen's Brew
11255 Huebner Rd., Suite 100
A classic Northwest San Antonio favorite, Aspen Brew is the cozy coffee shop of your dreams. Both affordable and welcoming, Aspen is your one-stop shop for a morning bagel and cup of cold brew.
Residents of Fair Oaks Ranch, The Dominion, Helotes, and Crownridge can claim Aspen’s Brew as their neighborhood coffee shop.
Indy Coffee Co.
7114 UTSA Blvd. #103
Image Courtesy of the San Antonio Current
More than just a coffee shop, Indy Coffee Co is a specialty espresso bar in Northwest San Antonio that carefully curates its own lifestyle brand inspired by Americana and Southwest culture. Stop in and shop quality, handmade in the USA goods that reflect the timeless culture and passion of hard work, durability, and attention to detail.
Residents of Fair Oaks Ranch, The Dominion, Helotes, and Crownridge can claim Indy Coffee Co as their neighborhood shop!
Cuppencake
22211 W. IH-10 #1111
Image Courtesy of twentysomethingsa.com
Right on the cusp of Northwest San Antonio, Cuppencake doubles as an espresso bar and bakery lounge in the Dominion Ridge Shopping Center. Offering an array of pastries and a seasonal lunch menu, this is the perfect place to stop and sit after a busy day!
Residents of Fair Oaks Ranch, The Dominion, Helotes, and Crownridge can claim Cuppencake as their neighborhood shop.
Theory Coffee
2347 Nacogdoches Rd
On the border of Northeast San Antonio and Central San Antonio, food-truck-style Theory Coffee Co is accessible to a wealth of customers in the area! From Alamo Heights to Universal City, Theory serves up delicious coffee using an American Traditional approach to specialty coffee preparation.
Residents of Woodlake, Converse, Universal City, Live Oak, Windcrest, Terrell Hills, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Tobin Hill, and Shearer Hillscan claim Theory Coffee Co as their neighborhood shop.
Local Coffee
Image Courtesy of Alamo City Mom’s Blog
Finally, it’s absolutely impossible to mention San Antonio’s emerging craft coffee scene without mentioning Local Coffee. The resident superstar coffee shop of the Alamo City, Local boasts multiple locations (each with its own unique aesthetic), incredible coffee, and a team of talented baristas. Customer loyalty is strong in this brand: Local has won San Antonio Current's "Best of SA" coffee category for several years in a row.
Across the city, residents of Northwest San Antonio, Central San Antonio, Central West San Antonio, and North San Antonio can claim a Local Coffee location as their neighborhood shop.
More Shops:
Mildfire Coffee Roasters (Northwest San Antonio)
Paramour Coffee Bar (Downtown San Antonio)
Sip Brew Bar & Eatery (Downtown San Antonio)
CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery (Central San Antonio)
Estate Coffee Co (Central East San Antonio)
Candlelight Coffee House (Central San Antonio)
Brown Coffee Company (Central San Antonio)
Olmos Perk (Central San Antonio)
San Antonio may not be “the city that never sleeps” (we’ll leave that exhausting nickname to you, NYC…), but our city is certainly in the running for, “the city that wakes up to a good cup of coffee.” Whether you’re typing furiously on your laptop or chatting with a friend over a latte, check out one of these local establishments...and let us know when you decide to look for a home near your favorite one!
